How Germany Became NATO’s ‘Weak Link’ Against Putin After Leaking ‘British Troops in Ukraine’ and Trolling Weapons
GERMANY has been labeled NATO’s weakest link after an embarrassing intelligence leak that saw British military secrets appear on Russian state television.
Berlin’s unwillingness to send essential equipment to Zelensky’s forces “terrible breach of NATO security” “heads should roll,” one security analyst warned.
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Putin’s propaganda TV channels broadcast a German air force chief discussing British troops “on the ground” in Ukraine after his private phone call was reportedly intercepted by Russia this weekend.
Professor Anthony Glees, a security expert from the University of Buckingham, told The Sun that “heads should roll” over Germany’s “terrible breach of NATO security”.
And he said Berlin must “stop being afraid of Putin” and step up to help Ukraine deliver the equipment it needs.
Russia took the opportunity to rant NATO allies “are preparing for war” after the leak – something Putin has previously warned could trigger World War III.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called the leak “very serious” and an investigation is now underway – but the country’s reputation has already taken a major hit.
And former Minister of Defense Ben Wallace told The Times in a scathing statement: “We know Germany is quite saturated with the Russian intelligence services, so it just shows that they are neither safe nor reliable.”
There are both immediate and longer term consequences of this appalling breach of NATO security and German heads should be rolling for this, hopefully Chancellor Scholz’s will be at the top of the list
Professor Anthony Glees
This is not the first time that Germany has faced criticism from its European counterparts over the conflict in Ukraine.
From a lack of weapons, to funding, to weak sanctions, Berlin has consistently dug in its heels in sending aid to Zelensky for two years.
A few days ago, Scholz denied German Taurus cruise missiles to the Ukrainian armies, claiming it would make his country too active in the war.
And Ukraine’s repeated pleas for German Leopard tanks have been confronted with disappointing and incorrect deliveries.
As a result of German hesitation, several experts have been warning for months that NATO appears weaker and that the Russian threat could increase.
The embarrassing breach of Germany’s security
In the major leak this weekend, the head of the Luftwaffe, Ingo Gerhartz, spoke about Britain and… France supplying Storm Shadows missiles to Ukraine.
Gerhatz spoke with Air Force officers and a general for 40 minutes and shared sensitive military information on WebEx – a ready-made video chat platform.
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The intercepted conversation was then broadcast throughout the Russian state televisionreports The Telegraph.
Professor Anthony Glees, a security expert from the University of Buckingham, told The Sun that the security link would have “serious consequences” for “useless German Chancellor Olaf Scholz”.
Scholz has become a risk to European security after publicly saying that Britain and France are actually operating Storm Shadow cruise missiles in Ukraine
Professor Anthony Glees
“This leak, in which the head of the Luftwaffe, Lieutenant General Ingo Gerhartz, gave away top secret information from his hotel room in Singapore over an insecure internet line will have the most serious consequences for him, but crucially also for his boss, the useless German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. .”
Scholz has become a risk to European security because he has said publicly that Britain and France are actually using Storm Shadow cruise missiles in Ukraine.
“NATO military chiefs and defense ministers, including our own Grant Shapps, will now work 24/7 to repair the damage and stop Putin from further profiting from the propaganda coup of this intercepted conversation.
‘It goes without saying that Putin wants disagreement among NATO allies on whom Europe’s security depends.
“The German Luftwaffe chief has now given him a perfect opportunity.
It all means that President Putin and his regime are very, very smart in using the information domain, and that yields [him] ammunition
Ret. Major General Rupert Jones
“There are both immediate and longer-term consequences of this terrible breach of NATO security and German heads should be rolling for this, hopefully Chancellor Scholz’s will be at the top of the list.”
Lord Dannatt, former head of the British army, told Times Radio that German air force officers should be “censored quite heavily”.
And retired Major General Rupert Jones told The Sun that the ‘concerning’ leak ‘plays right into President Putin’s hands’.
He said: “It all means that President Putin and his regime are very, very smart in using the information domain, and this gives [him] ammunition.”
“It’s not good for the NATO alliance. It’s not good for Germany as a nation… it doesn’t look good when an apparently very amateurish mistake is made.”
German aid to Ukraine
Chancellor Scholz has steadily dug in his heels on sending aid to Ukraine over the past two years.
Other countries in Europe made an offer to Germany to send more, but he hesitated.
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A few days ago, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock admitted: “Of course everything (in terms of military support) that we provide is too little.
“We’re racking our brains, especially over the past year, on how to deliver more, including long-range weapon systems.”
Ukraine, which does not have sufficient air cover or jets to fend off Russia, has repeatedly requested Germany’s Taurus cruise missiles.
And while Berlin on Thursday approved a package of military aid to Zelesnky’s forces, including some long-range missiles, that did not include Taurus.
Professor Glees said the move was a weak attempt at political reconciliation, and even an attempt to appease Putin.
He said: “Scholz said a few days ago that Germany could not give any of its stock of 600 Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine because they would have to be operated by German troops and that would mean Germany would be directly involved in the conflict.
Germany must pull itself together, stop being afraid of Putin and realize that its defense, like ours, is Ukraine’s victory
Professor Anthony Glees
“He said this to calm his left-wing supporters and especially to appease Putin.”
The German government has expressed concern that too much aid could be seen as direct involvement on their part in the conflict.
And any aid they have sent has been vaguely defined in terms of money rather than specific guidance on the types of weapons or systems.
Ukraine has also urged Germany to buy Leopard tanks – which Berlin has debated for months.
After we finally agreed to send about 170 to Ukraine in early 2023, many have not yet been delivered.
Ukraine even had to return ten of them because they arrived damaged – and engineers in Kiev did not have the resources to repair them.
In total, Ukraine gave about 18 Leopard II tanks, most of which have now been damaged in battle.
The German vice-chancellor also said there would be “no chance” of sending ground troops to Ukraine.
And in a somewhat tongue-in-cheek statement, he told Macron that France should supply more weapons.
Robert Habeck told France to “do what you can now and give Ukraine the ammunition and tanks that can be delivered now.”
Krzysztof Bledowskim, a leading economist, said Germany’s reluctance to impose sanctions on Putin and his cronies has also strengthened Ukraine’s efforts to fend them off.
And Ian Bond, director of foreign policy at the Center for European Reforms, said that by not sending more arms and aid, Germany would effectively be siding with Russia.
Professor Glees told The Sun: “Germany must pull itself together, stop being afraid of Putin and realize that its defense, like ours, is Ukraine’s victory.
‘Putin wants everything back that the Soviet Union had. This also applies to half of Germany. The Germans must not forget that.’
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